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City staff gives emergency-shelter and warming-center contact info as cold weather persists
Summary
Housing department staff told council that households needing shelter in severe weather should call the Detroit Housing Resource Helpline at (866) 313-2520 (24/7) or visit standby shelters (Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries and a Pope Francis Center location).
Near the end of the Jan. 30 Detroit City Council meeting, Tara Linsner, director of Housing Stability and Innovations, briefed council on emergency-shelter resources available during severe cold.
Linsner said households needing emergency shelter should call the Detroit Housing Resource Helpline at (866) 313-2520, a 24/7 line that will route callers to street-outreach teams and connect them to drop-in centers or standby shelters. She named two standby-shelter options currently operating during the severe-weather period: the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries cornerstone building at 13130 Woodward Avenue and a Pope Francis Center location (address not stated on the record) that is open to single adults; both locations had staff on site and were open through the coming Wednesday at 11 a.m.
Why it matters: Council members had asked about warming centers after multiple callers described people exposed to cold and transit disruptions. The briefing offered immediate resources for unsheltered residents and clarified how callers and police precincts can connect people to outreach teams.
What officials said: Linsner said the helpline has been active and Street Outreach has been answering calls 24/7, including during the holiday weekend; she also confirmed that people can go directly to standby shelters if they prefer to avoid intake calls.
Next steps: Council acknowledged the briefing and asked administration to distribute the information to the public; staff indicated they would share the helpline number and site details.
